spring

Epimediums with a Twist

May 2, 2013 By Karen Chapman in Uncategorized 5 Comments Tags: combinations, conifers, deciduous trees, design, foliage, grasses, groundcover, perennials, shrubs, spring, trees

Golden yellow grasses (Hakonechloa macra ‘Aureola’) and variegated iris (Iris x robusta ‘Gerald Derby’) enhance the spring interest

I’m always looking for new ways to pair old favorites. I typically combine the heart shaped leaves of Bishop’s hat (Epimedium sp.) with lacy ferns and bold hostas for example. But a recent visit to the inspiring garden of Mitch Evans in Kirkland, WA showed me all sorts of exciting new possibilities to get me out of my design rut!

Play to ephemeral color

Enjoy the moment

Epimedium grandiflorum ’Lilafee’ has got the most beautiful purple-flushed foliage with lilac-purple flowers held daintily like dancing stars. Placing in front of Gerald Derby iris (Iris x robusta ‘Gerald Derby’) highlights the exciting purple flush of the iris foliage, most clearly visible in spring. Although both the flowers and iris foliage color are short term effects this inspired pairing shows the importance of planning for such special moments.

Consider shade loving conifers

An unexpected combination with a conifer in part shade

Who would have thought of putting a conifer and Epimedium together? My mind immediately says its not possible since generally conifers need sun and Epimedium prefers shade. This is where knowing your plants comes in – and clearly Mitch does. The golden ‘Tom Thumb’ spruce (Picea orientalis ‘Tom Thumb’) will scorch in full sun and prefers dappled light making it a perfect companion to Epimedium x Amber Queen . I love the way the sunset colored flowers dance overhead like miniature Turk’s cap lilies almost teasing the conifer. After all aren’t Epimedium usually considered groundcovers yet here it is lauding it over its cowering partner!

Smoky purple hellebores look even better with a hazy backdrop of Epimedium x Frohnleiten

Frohnleiten

Color echo and contrast

This pine-hellebore-Epimedum trio made me smile. The sunny yellow flowers of Epimedium x Frohnleiten, one of my personal favorites, always brightens a spring day. The dark, sultry flowers of the hellebore echo the deeper tones of the Epimedium foliage while the pine casts enough shade for both to thrive, adding a fresh green to the color palette as well as a softer texture.

Your challenge question!

So what would you combine this ruby leafed beauty (an Epimedium hybrid) with?

A combination worth getting down on your hands and knees for!

What about a finely textured red leafed maple and buttery-yellow primroses?

Wherever I looked in Mitch’s garden there were carefully painted vignettes; special garden moments waiting to be discovered.

I for one will be referring to these images time and again when I need a dose of fresh design inspiration.

Ready to go shopping?

My sincere thanks to Mitch for letting me ‘ooh’ and ‘aah’ in his garden

The Emerging Garden

Apr 20, 2013 By Karen Chapman in Uncategorized 5 Comments Tags: conifers, deciduous trees, foliage, perennials, shrubs, spring, trees

Hosta ‘Sagae’ is one of the first to leaf out in my garden, its golden variegation a welcome splash of light in the shade garden

It’s been 3 1/2 years since we moved into our mosquito-ridden swamp. Of course we didn’t know that’s what it was when we first saw this 5 acre property in July of 2009 – that realization came as we squelched our way from house to barn and back in ankle deep water all winter, and swatted and swiped endless man-eating bugs all summer. Let’s just say it was a little disheartening.

Today we can really see that the garden is taking shape. Drainage has been tackled, mosquitoes outwitted (the deer are another story), invasive weeds got under control or eradicated and finally we have something that says we live here. Driving down our gravel road, I turn the final corner and I can’t help but smile. I’m home.

The arakawa maple is one of the first to fully leaf out. This started as a 5g plant in a container garden 6 years ago. It moved house with us and is now almost 10′ tall and wide. Love it.

Yet I hesitate to show you photos of our garden this early in the season. It’s so much nicer/better/fuller in July. But there again September it glorious. Or even October with all the fall colors. But April? The daffodils are coming to the end of their bloom time and the rhododendrons are still tightly in bud. Is there anything worth showing you?

We have an abundance of ferns in the shadier parts of the garden. Watching them slowly unfurl is surely a spring highlight?

That was the challenge I set myself as I grabbed my camera and thick jacket this afternoon. To find something that was happening in the garden right now that you might enjoy with me.

My purple ghost maple was a bargain find! Love the emerging foliage and berry cluster -like flowers

My purple ghost maple was a bargain find! Love the emerging foliage and berry-like flowers

In fact taking the time to stroll rather than rush, and making the effort to look rather than glance revealed a myriad of fresh new growth throughout the garden. Maple trees are unfurling their pleated leaves, ferns are stretching their impossibly tight coils. Fresh fuzzy growth on conifers promises an extra few inches this year. Hostas are pushing up their purple pointed buds and opening wide to reveal glorious foliage in shades of blue, green and gold (assuming the slugs don’t get in there first in which case I’ll have not-so-pretty lacy foliage).

My rescued ‘Frank’ Austrian pine is doing well in his new home.

Of course there are plenty of things in bloom too – bugleweed (Ajuga repens), bleeding heart (Dicentra spectabilis), lungwort (Pulmonaria) and fragrant viburnum are just a few examples. But today was about seeking out hope; the promise of an abundant garden. Looking for things in the garden which are just emerging – their time in the spotlight still to come.

Welcome to my garden.

As the garden awakens from its winter hibernation, so our garden dreams are also slowly coming to life.

Our garden is finally emerging.

A lesson in abundance – Filoli Garden

Mar 28, 2013 By Karen Chapman in Uncategorized 4 Comments Tags: bulbs, cut flowers, design, spring

There are tulips – and there are Tulips. As I strolled around the magnificent Filoli Garden in San Francisco last week there was no doubt that these were TULIPS.

For the most part these had been planted in simple, terracotta colored pots so that the flamboyant flowers could be brought out for display when each variety reached its peak. Both the tulips and I reveled in the warm spring sunshine – life seemed to slow down.

Pots were clustered together on steps, in doorways and used to flank pathways. Every garden had its own color scheme which the tulip displays highlighted.

Where tulips were planted in the ground they were corralled by manicured boxwood hedges, vibrant under the dappled canopy of the flowering cherry trees.

But this is a grand estate garden with a team of 14 full time horticulturalists, numerous student interns and more than 100 volunteers. What can the typical home gardener take away from this?

I see my lesson as being abundance. Rather than planting just a few tulips in my mixed containers I like the idea of filling simple pots with just one tulip variety, and waiting to display them until they are in full bloom. Perhaps a succession of colors in different pots? Maybe I can just plant them in black nursery pots and slip these inside my decorative pots when the moment is right?

The other thing I learned? It’s OK to sit once in a while and simply enjoy them.

Hot Colors for Cold Days

Nov 4, 2012 By Karen Chapman in Uncategorized 9 Comments Tags: annuals, bulbs, combinations, container design, deciduous trees, fall, foliage, perennials, spring

I have a fabulous orange container. It’s not a color I would ordinarily have chosen for our home but it was perfect for a magazine photo shoot we did this summer and I had been really looking forward to replanting it for fall and winter knowing that I would have fun playing off its exhibitionist personality!

Earlier this year I purchased a beautiful dwarf vine maple (Acer circinatum ‘Little Gem’). I knew this was the perfect focal point for my design since it had been clothed in fiery shades of red, orange and gold since August – a great way to emphasize the sassy container color. Even when the leaves eventually fall the vibrant red branches will be striking.

The difference in the light reflective qualities of these two leaf surfaces make the partnership all the more striking. 'Ruby Glow' spurge with 'Spellbound' coral bells.

You can’t be bashful with orange and I knew I needed bold companions to really make a statement. ‘Spellbound’ coral bells (Heuchera hybrid) has had everyone talking this year. This is no ordinary purple. Rather its oversized ruffled leaves have a silvery sheen on top and a delicious berry colored reverse. Partnering this with the deep purple ‘Ruby Glow’ spurge (Euphorbia amygdaloides) created a dramatic yet monochromatic combination.

'Wickwar Flame' heather adds a warm note before changing to green in spring

With the bones established it was time to add accents. I wanted to play off the orange some more so selected the spiky grass-like ‘Goldfinger’ New Zealand iris (Libertia ixioides) and the richly colored ‘Wickwar Flame’ heather (Calluna vulgaris), both easy container plants in full sun.

Add a little sparkle with 'Wojo's Jem' periwinkle

So as not to get too hung up on a strictly orange and purple color scheme I added a lighter note with brightly variegated ‘Wojo’s Jem’ periwinkle (Vinca maculata). This trails over the edge of the container together with golden rosemary.

All these foliage plants are winter hardy and evergreen here in the Seattle area (zones 6b-8). No flowers were really needed but I couldn’t resist adding a couple of deep ruby-red pansies to draw attention to the tips and stems of the spurge. (The pansies were rather camera shy when this photo was taken due to several days of torrential rain)!

The glowing foliage of the 'Little Gem' vine maple pick sup on the color of the container and forms a great backdrop for the sultry spurge

The beauty of this design is that it will evolve with the seasons yet is a year round planting. In spring the pansies will be in full bloom and the spurge will explode with chartreuse bracts. Now hidden from view, spring bulbs will push through the foliage to add another layer of interest and the tree will have its new flush of bright green, pleated leaves. I’ll try to remember to post photos of its spring fashion show.

Summer will only need the two pansies replaced with annuals giving it a fresh new look for just a few dollars.

Sometimes we need an unexpected challenge to spark our creativity.

Great Bulbs for Fall Containers

Sep 23, 2012 By Karen Chapman in Uncategorized 4 Comments Tags: bulbs, container design, deer, design, fall, foliage, spring, wildlife

Photo credit; tinywhitedaisies.tumblr.com

It’s a bittersweet moment when you have to brace yourself to pull out all that lush summer growth, knowing that the replacements will inevitably look puny by comparison. I’ve just grappled with yards of overly – exuberant sweet potato vine, cutting back its long chartreuse tendrils of heart shaped leaves, digging deep in the containers to find the funky purple tubers. Some leaves were scorched by unseasonably late hot sun, others were limp from chilly nights. They would look reasonable for another week or so but my own schedule dictated that today was The Day for changing out the pots.

Ironically containers planted for fall and winter have to provide us with almost 8 months of color (late September to mid- May) as opposed to summer pots which strut their stuff from May until Mid-September (or late October if you’re a procrastinator). So how can we get a serious color punch without our favorite summer annuals?

Spring bulbs are the answer. By tucking them into containers as you are planting pots this fall you are burying treasure which will be revealed in a few months’ time.

Shade containers

Although most bulbs need 6 or more hours of direct sun to bloom well there are a few that will perform satisfactorily in shadier spots.

Snowdrops are one of the earliest bulbs to bloom. Photo credit; Brent and Becky's Bulbs

Snowdrops are perfect for adding a little sparkle. There are a couple of different species typically available but I usually select Galanthus elwesii which is taller at 12” than the 6” common snowdrop (Galanthus nivalis). Plant at least five clustered together.

Winter aconite is as pretty in a container as it is in the garden. Photo credit; Brent and Becky's Bulbs

Winter aconite (Eranthis hyemalis) is a fabulous deer resistant bulb that can be used to naturalize in sunny or partially shaded gardens. Its bright buttercup-like flowers add a lovely splash of color at the edge of a shady container but at just 3” tall be sure that the adjacent plants will not hide these dainty beauties.

Jeanne d'Arc crocus is pure white with rich orange stamens.

Crocus prefer lots of sun but if your containers get full morning sun they should still bloom nicely. Typically available in shades of purple, yellow and white it’s easy to find something to work with your color scheme. Look for the larger flowered varieties such as Jeanne d’Arc (white), Pickwick (lilac and white stripes) or Flower Record (deep purple).

Sun containers

I usually look for dwarf varieties of sun loving bulbs.

Tete a Tete dwarf daffodils repeat the yellow colors of the grass and pansy

Daffodils (Narcissus)– the petite Tete a Tete are well known and are great value since each bulb has multiple flower stalks. The slightly taller February Gold and Jetfire with its orange trumpet are also great candidates since their flower size won’t overpower the other container plants.

Fragrant Erlicheer Narcissus. Photo credit; Brent and Becky's Bulbs

For a white color scheme the fragrant Thalia is a good choice or Erlicheer which has double white flowers with a hint of buttery yellow and also smells wonderful.

Juan tulip. Photo credit; The Plant Expert

Tulips – there are many shorter varieties of tulips with attractive leaves – an important consideration for container garden design. Many of these also have multiple flowers per bulb so you get a lot of color from a small amount of space. Red Riding Hood (red flowers with purple striped leaves). Calypso (orange-red flowers edged with yellow and a black base with purple striated foliage) and Juan (orange with a yellow base and purple mottled leaves) are three of my favorites.

Princess Irene are always on my shopping list for fall containers

Where greater height is needed Princess Irene is my #1 choice. Rich reddish-orange flowers with a purple flare are set off by the blue-green foliage. This partners well with dark foliage or lime green accents.

Gorgeous ruffled peony type flowers of the tulip Foxtrot. Photo credit; Brent and Becky's Bulbs

For a softer color scheme Foxtrot is stunning with double peony type blooms in varying shades of rose or New Design has pretty pink flowers and green leaves with white margins. Don’t be afraid to cut off a few leaves if they spoil the look of the overall container design.

The richly hued Woodstock hyacinth. Photo credit; Bissett Nursery corp

Hyacinths – a single hyacinth can perfume a room so imagine what a few in a container can do! With colors from white, pink, blue to purple and peach there’s bound to be one that is just right. Woodstock has long been a personal favorite with its rich burgundy color, closely followed by the hot pink Jan Bos.

JS Dijt iris seems almost velvety. Photo credit; Central Texas Gardener blog

Dwarf iris (Iris reticulata) are a less common choice yet at 6” tall they are perfect for containers. I especially like the midnight blue JS Dijt with a central yellow flash when paired with golden foliage or even yellow pansies. Pixie is similar but a little lighter.

Grape hyacinths (Muscari) are also a welcome change, their strappy foliage having a grass like appearance at the edge of a container while the clusters of grape-like flowers in shades of blue or white are pretty.

Design considerations

Purple crocus have grown up through a layer of pansies to add a fresh spring look

Match the color of your bulbs to the overall color scheme of your container design for a designer look.
Height – keep shorter bulbs to the front of your containers
Tuck bulbs in between permanent plants or even underneath finely rooted plants such as pansies. The spring shoots will squeeze through and to the side of these easily.
Plant bulbs under seasonal color spots such as chrysanthemums or asters to give a second tier of color. Ideally remove these perennials when they have died down and gently backfill the hole with a little extra soil to cover the exposed bulbs, although this is not essential.

Tulips and grape hyacinths keep purple coral bells company in this design. Credit; Fine Gardening magazine

Planting tips

Add organic fertilizer under the bulbs when planting to promote root growth.If your garden is popular with squirrels you may want to consider adding chicken mesh or a special bulb cage to protect the bulbs.What about a container with tiers of bulbs that will bloom sequentially in spring? Try the lasagna planting method.

My favorite bulb growers – not only do they have excellent quality and size bulbs they are wonderful people. Can’t do better than that.

Brent and Becky’s Bulbs

Color Inspiration for Container Gardens

Jun 16, 2012 By Karen Chapman in Uncategorized 4 Comments Tags: annuals, combinations, container design, fragrance, perennials, shrubs, spring

This is an exciting time of year for container garden designers. I was asked recently if I ever ran out of ideas. Well it hasn’t happened yet thanks in no small part to my clients themselves who like to keep me on my gardening toes! Here are a couple of this year’s requests and my interpretation. Bear in mind that these are all very new plantings and will grow considerably during the season.

'Happy' colors; the feathery foliage is Zagreb tickseed and will soon be covered in golden daisies

Happy Colors – this must be my favorite description! What does this conjure up to you? Perhaps another way of saying the same thing – but not nearly so much fun would be ‘bold, bright and colorful’. Think hot pink/ purple/ chartreuse or red/ yellow/ white or perhaps orange/ blue/ lime. I use both foliage and flowers to provide the color as either one alone wouldn’t quite hit the mark.

Red and yellow make for fun combinations especially when foliage such as crotons and coleus are incorporated

I also make sure that there are plenty of bold shapes such as the large leaves and flowers of non-stop begonias and sweet potato vines for impact. Colorful coleus are invaluable in these schemes with many sun tolerant varieties now being available. Golden Zagreb tickseed (Coreopsis verticillata) mingling with the darker leaved Gartenmeister fuchsia or boldly variegated Tropicana canna adds summer long color while brightly colored million bells, verbena and geraniums are all reliable performers.

Breathe.......jasmine and lilies (still in bud) perfume the air. This container is by a window and seating area where it can be enjoyed

Romantic and feminine - at first I was concerned that I wouldn’t be able to meet this clients expectations but I needn’t have worried and it has been a fun challenge to always give her the wow factor each season. This lovely lady has a very specific wish list; silver, white, pink and soft green was THE color palette. No exceptions! And it was all about the flowers and fragrance – the headier the perfume the better. So I began to look for long blooming annuals and perennials with an airy look and delicate variegated foliage that was also fragrant (I had to get a good backbone of foliage in there somehow)!

Whirling butterflies bloom all summer and provide the airy quality essential to a romantic design,

Winners have included star jasmine, lilies, gardenias, white heliotrope and ‘Gourmet popcorn’ rose for intoxicating fragrance. Pale pink yarrow (Achillea sp.), pink and white whirling butterflies (Gaura sp.) and annual cosmos provide months of color while having a feminine appeal.

I searched for a rose with fragrance, disease resistance, easy care and an old fashioned 'blowsy' attitude. 'Gourmet popcorn' fit the bill. It is underplanted with variegated marjoram

Variegated marjoram and ‘Silver edge’ lavender bring sparkle to the foliage line up and a sneaky ‘Kent beauty’ oregano, featured recently in my blog brings the softest shades of pink and green plus a light herbal fragrance. This one looks pretty unassuming right now but after a month’s growth I’m anticipating an excited email !

Watch for future posts on more creative color inspiration including a contemporary theme and examples of how I translated my sunset color scheme to this year’s container designs.

Sunset Inspiration

May 6, 2012 By Karen Chapman in Uncategorized 10 Comments Tags: combinations, deciduous trees, design, foliage, grasses, perennials, shrubs, spring, trees

I’ll often ask clients what their color preferences are for container garden plantings or as a palette for a new garden border. It can often be hard for them to articulate, however, and ends up being a series of Q & A – reds? Yes. Oranges? Not sure. Blues? Maybe. I find that I need to offer a new vocabulary and as always Nature provides.

I was looking for ideas for a color scheme for an area of my own garden. I had the warm cedar siding of the little guest cabin which formed a pleasing association with the peeling cinnamon colored bark of the paper bark maple (Acer griseum). On a whim (and because I had them!), I also added orange crocosmia around the tree at which point I began to see a theme emerging of warm, somewhat mellow tones.

The emerging purple cones on this Skylands spruce offers some serious eye candy!

Next I added a golden ‘Skylands’ oriental spruce (Picea orientalis ‘Skylands’), rich yellow ‘Zagreb’ tickseed (Coreopsis verticillata ‘Zagreb’) and dozens of yellow daffodils. As I planted ‘Crème brulee’ coral bells (Heuchera) in the cabin’s window box and adjacent container I was finally able to put a name to my color scheme; sunset.

Layers of color between the spirea, azalea and dark leafed barberry capture the essence of a glorious sunset.

Using a Nature inspired theme releases me from the frustration of having to decide if I prefer orange or red. It frees me up to select shades from deep burgundy to burnt orange, adding in softer highlights or more vibrant fiery shades as I choose. It’s also proving to be lots of fun as I combined ‘Double play Big Bang’ spirea (Spiraea japonica ‘Tracy’) with a fabulous deciduous mollis azalea (Rhododendron x kosteranum) whose coral flowers perfectly echoed the color of the new growth on the spirea.

Plant late season perennials close to oriental poppies to disguise the fading foliage.

Looking to mid-summer I have mass planted black eyed Susan’s (Rudbeckia ‘Goldsturm’) thanks to the generosity of friends and intend to add a swathe of blousy red oriental poppies (Papaver orientalis sp.) nearby for an explosion of color later this month. As summer transitions to fall I’ll keep the color story going with the tall switch grass ‘Shenandoah’ (Panicum v. ‘Shenandoah’). This whispering grass may start out olive green but quickly matures to rich burgundy blades which dance in the slightest summer breeze. I still have more plants to add as well as a small fountain using a 2’ tall ceramic brown ‘teapot’ which will be placed by the cabin porch.

Incorporating non-plant material such as containers, pathways or even the cabin is a way to add solidity to an otherwise seasonally changing picture. These elements can anchor the color theme and become a reference point around which other ethereal stars are showcased.

Your interpretation of ‘sunset’ may be different from mine and feature shades of pink, purple and midnight blue. The good news is that it doesn’t matter! This is just a vocabulary to help guide you visually at the nurseries.

The chances are that if your color scheme is inspired by Nature – it will be fabulous. Surely we are simply students of Art seeking to learn and to share?

PS. If you’d like to read about the adventure of moving the cabin into this border you can do so here.

Spirea – the poor man’s shrub no more.

Apr 29, 2012 By Karen Chapman in Uncategorized 16 Comments Tags: combinations, design, foliage, shrubs, spring, wildlife

Fabulous airy texture and bright foliage are just two outstanding traits of spirea 'Ogon'. Photo credit; 66squarefeet.blogspot.com

One thing’s for sure – there’s no room for snobbery when it comes to gardening.

Before moving to this house 2 ½ years ago I used to smile politely when clients mentioned they had a deer problem and gave my all-knowing benevolent nod while saying “Ah yes, deer will eat anything if they are hungry enough you know…..”. I swear if anyone says that to me any more I’ll scream! Yes I do know – and I apologize to all those whom I have insulted with this inane platitude in the past. I still say the only reliable thing about deer is that they read the price tags, but I now have a much better appreciation of the problems they cause and a vested interest in researching plants which have been proven, at least here in the Pacific Northwest as ‘seldom damaged’ by deer.

Any shrubs ignored by deer are worthy of a second look by me

One group of shrubs which I never really appreciated before were spirea. In England the old variety ‘Anthony Waterer’ (Spiraea x bumalda ‘Anthony Waterer’) was so overused that I lost interest in it. Yet moving here I noticed three huge, well established bushes thriving in my deer prone garden; reason enough to take a fresh look at the options. Here are a few of my favorites which are all reliably deer resistant, take full sun or partial shade and are ridiculously easy care.

Romantic sprays of white flowers on the Renaissance spirea.

Renaissance spirea (Spiraea x vanhouttei ‘Renaissance’). This graceful, deciduous shrub features a massive display of pure white flowers and colorful orange-red fall color and offers improved disease resistance over older varieties. 5-6’ tall and wide, this is a flower arrangers favorite. Water regularly. Zones 3-7

Think ahead to later seasons - spirea 'Ogon' promises a colorful display. Photo credit; gardenforeplay.avantgardensne.com

For fabulous foliage my favorite has to be ‘Mellow yellow’ spirea, also known as ‘Ogon’(S. thunbergii ‘Ogon’). The feathery foliage is reminiscent of the finely dissected bluebeard (Caryopteris) leaf except this is a bright shade of yellow-gold. Even if it didn’t bloom I would love it but the white flowers which dot its arching stems in April and May add an appealing freshness. Left to their own devices these shrubs become soft billowing bushes 5’ tall and wide. I have planted the dark leaved ‘Midnight wine’ Weigela in front for contrast, with a swathe of evergreen Rhododendrons off to one side. I am already thinking of other parts of the garden to add a cluster to. Hardy in zones 5-8.

I love the vibrant color of the new growth on 'Double Play Big Bang' spirea

Double Play® Big Bang Spirea (Spiraea japonica ‘Tracy’) –I have a group of these planted near my paperbark maple (Acer griseum) where the peeling cinnamon tree bark plays off the warm sunset tones of the spirea. The spirea foliage opens golden with orange overtones and shows rosy new growth before turning a fresh shade of summer green which acts as a foil to the tufty pink flowers. This variety offers the largest flowers of all and should be a butterfly magnet this summer. 2-3’ tall and wide and is hardy in zones 4-9.

For those who insist on a chartreuse variety of every plant then I suggest spirea ‘Limemound’. (Spiraea x bumalda ‘Monhub’). The foliage opens yellow and softens to lime green before turning orange in fall. A good filler shrub for the mixed border where a compact 3’ dome is needed. Zones 3-9

My garden should have wheels according to my husband, who invariably has the task of heaving huge trees, shrubs and pots “just a few inches to the left”. On one such recent occasion, after hauling a 4’ “heap of twigs” from one side of the path to the other, I discovered several rooted cuttings left behind. I dug them up and planted them in an area of nasty, clay soil by the stream – and the cuttings have taken! (My husband is hoping they can live happily there as he’ll have to don waders if they need moving again). As far as I can tell this “heap of twigs” is just Japanese spirea (Spiraea japonica) with no particular claim to royal heritage. I include it simply to make the point that although of humble birth and lacking the jazzy colors or supersized flowers of others mentioned here, this really is a first class shrub.

Spirea – tolerant of most soil conditions, dozens of named cultivars and varieties all of which are ignored by deer and rabbits, easily propagated (i.e. free plants if you want them), foliage in shades of green, lime, orange, and dusky purple, flowers in white or pink, beloved by bees, butterflies and even hummingbirds and ranging in height from 1’ to 6’ tall – I’m sure you have room for a few. No garden snobs here!

Gazing Skywards – a fresh look at trees

Apr 8, 2012 By Karen Chapman in Uncategorized 6 Comments Tags: design, foliage, spring, trees

Breathtaking - cherry trees in bloom are a sure sign of spring. Photo credit ; robertkavalek.com

There’s something magical about looking up through a leafy canopy. Dappled light adds a luminous quality to foliage, with such backlighting revealing details and colors which might otherwise go unnoticed. Several trees have wonderful downward facing flowers which are partially hidden by the surrounding leaves yet when viewed from below not only are they visible but there is an opportunity to appreciate their delicate beauty more intimately. And who can forget those childhood games of hide-and-seek behind a curtain of weeping willow as the swaying branches moved gently in the breeze?

Planning for such events is another way to add a layer not only of interest to the garden but an opportunity for interaction. There are two ways in which such garden moments can be orchestrated; by sitting or strolling beneath a tree or by looking upwards to a tree situated in an elevated position such as a hillside or raised bed. Here are just a few of my favorites.

The foliage of the golden locust tree glows when backlit. Photo credit; Alyson Ross-Markley

The golden locust tree (Robinia pseudoacacia ‘Frisia’) has become my signature tree. Since moving to the United States in 1996 I have planted at least one in every garden. The primary role of these trees is to add a splash of light to the garden but I have also planted them in such a way that they either flank a pathway forming a golden allee through which to stroll, or to provide pleasant shade for a sunny patio. The sun always seems to be shining when you look up through the rustling golden canopy and never fails to make me smile. These are big trees, typically reaching 30’-40’ in height and 20-30’ in width so give it room to show off its beauty, although I do gradually limb mine up as needed both for shape and practicality. They are remarkably drought tolerant once established and take full sun or partial shade. The downside is that the branches have thorns although one rarely has a reason to touch them, and they tend to shed their leaves over a prolonged period of time. But what’s a few of minutes sweeping for the months of golden light they provide? Hardy in zones 3-8.

The delicate white flowers of the Japanese snowbell tree can only be appreciated fully from under neath the canopy. Photo credit; JC Raulston Arboretum, North Carolina State University

Japanese snowbell (Styrax japonica) is a perfectly behaved small tree yet is often overlooked. Early spring doesn’t suggest anything exceptional with attractive but otherwise fairly ordinary, mid-green leaves, although they do perch prettily atop the branches like little green butterflies. What makes this tree special are the fragrant white flowers which dangle downwards like hundreds of tiny bells in May and June. Set a bench underneath and sip your iced tree as you enjoy the delicate fragrance and marvel at such hidden treasures. Each bell has a tiny yellow ‘ringer’ which only adds to the enchantment. Japanese snowbell trees slowly grow to 15’ tall and wide and are hardy in zones 5-8. There are several cultivars and varieties which are worth seeking out including ‘Emerald pagoda’ which has larger, dark green leaves and more heavily textured flowers, and ‘Pink chimes’ – a popular, smaller specimen with pink flowers.

At this time of year cherry blossom trees are in full bloom with billowing clouds of pink and white adorning gardens and parklands across many countries. Washington DC received the gift of thousands of cherry trees in 1912 as a token of friendship from the people of Japan with this year celebrating their 100^th anniversary.

The perfect setting for a picnic

The Tidal Basin in the Capitol is planted primarily with Yoshino cherries (Prunus x yedoensis) which create a magical journey beneath their extended branches while snowflake-like petals fall softly all around. Home gardens can create a similar romantic ambience with just a single specimen such as the well-known ‘Kwanzan’ cherry (Prunus serrulata ‘Kwanzan’) with its double flowers in deep pink or perhaps set a blanket under the broad spreading ‘Mt Fuji’ (Prunus serrulata ‘Mt. Fuji’) for a springtime picnic and enjoy the delicate confetti of petals. As with all cherry trees, do not plant these in close proximity to buildings or driveways as their strong root system can cause significant damage.

You have heard me say many times that I believe a garden should be experienced, not just observed, and that creating such ‘garden moments’ is to create memories which will last a lifetime. As springtime awakens our gardens and our spirits perhaps it is time to seek out the perfect tree which will remind you to pause and gaze skywards.